Ericsson highlights next wave of 5G growth ahead of MWC26
Date: 2026-02-18
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
Ericsson
has held a Pre-MWC26 briefing in London, where Patrick Johansson, President and
Head of EMEA at Ericsson, outlined the company’s vision for the next wave of
connectivity growth across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Johansson
emphasized that the path forward relies on real 5G, enabled by 5G Standalone
(SA) technology, enhanced network automation, and programmability, alongside a
shift toward networks that can be trusted and monetized at scale. He noted that
mobile networks are increasingly viewed as national digital infrastructure,
raising expectations for predictable performance, resilience, security, and
operational discipline.
The
briefing highlighted regional differences in market conditions. In Europe,
modernization is closely tied to investment conditions and market structure,
including the potential role of consolidation. In Africa, pragmatic execution
is driving networks that underpin economic participation and digital platforms,
while in the Middle East, strong demand and national transformation agendas are
accelerating commercialization and time to market.
Johansson
concluded that the next wave of growth is being shaped now through
modernization, automation, and innovative business models, strengthening
competitiveness and resilience across the region. The briefing also featured
insights from industry leaders including Iain Milligan of VodafoneThree and
Hatem Dowidar of e&, ahead of Ericsson’s participation in MWC26 in
Barcelona.
